Millsboro Figure Skater with Olympic Dreams

HARRINGTON, Del.- There is a sixth sense you get when you meet a young athlete that you know will be great one day. Stepping into their greatness at a young age isn’t key but possessing a mindset that hard work beats out talent is.

That sense will rub off on you if you meet Mia Roberts, a 12-yea-old Millsboro native. The young figure skater has been on the ice for half of her life and just became competitive in the last three years.

Her goals are simple. Mia dreams of representing the United States of America in the Olympics.

“I would love to be an Olympian,” Mia Said. “I went to the Junior Olympics and I actually placed second but I’d love to go to the Olympics. That would be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

While many figure skaters share this dream, Mia who hasn’t even reached her teenage years, sacrifices for it. For Mia, spending most of her time on the ice is both a gift and curse.

” I don’t really have a life because I’m figuring skating and every day after school,” Mia said. “I don’t have sleep-overs or anything and that’s okay because I’m dedicated to figure skating that I’d rather not have any friends than not figure skate.”

Sleep-over are important for young girls; very important. That is only one sacrifice the young skater makes while pursuing her dreams.

Her coach Kim Seybold-Catron, a U.S. Olympian and six time national medalist, works with Mia four to five days a week to help her improve.

“The biggest thing you see is dedication because if you’re not dedicated to whatever sport you’re in then you’ll never make it,” Seybold-Catron said. “And she sacrifices a lot.”

Mia lives with a host family five days a week during the summer to continue training in Newark, Delaware.

“I love it but I hate it,” Mia said. “I’d stay awake and skate all day long but sometimes I really miss my family.”

Mia Roberts and Krystle Rich

Her Mother Tracie Roberts is thrilled that her daughter has dreams of making it to the Olympics. She, however, will be happy with Mia learning life lessons on the ice.

“If you fall on the ice, you have to get back up,” Roberts said.

Mia isn’t only passionate but vertically blessed. The 5’4″ skater towers over her peers. Her height advantage gives her more of a spring on her jumps.

That doesn’t mean much to Mia, though. What she is concerned about is landing a double. She admits that the two spins in the air is a complicated move.

“She can do an axle which is one and a half times around,” Seybold-Catron said. “So we’re just working on a couple doubles.”

Mia will complete in the Autumn Skate that The Skating Club of Wilmington on Friday, Nov. 20 – Sunday the 22nd

During the school year, Mia practices at The Centre at Delaware State Fair Ice Rink. They have learn to skate programs, intermediate and advanced programs. You can learn more at DelawareStateFAir.com